Lieutenant governor candidates face off at debate

Emporia  Democrat Mark Parkinson and Republican Susan Wagle offered sharply different views on the Kansas economy Tuesday night in the only scheduled debate between the two candidates for lieutenant governor.

Taking questions at Emporia State University, they also disagreed about Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' record on illegal immigration during her first term in office.

Emporia is the hometown of state Sen. Jim Barnett, the Republican nominee for governor.

Parkinson said the top challenge for the state is finding ways to continue what he called Sebelius' achievements in improving the Kansas economy.

Once in office, Parkinson said, Sebelius looked at every budget in state government and cut wasteful spending.

"She basically turned the state around," he said.

But Wagle, a state senator from Wichita, said Kansas is at a crossroads and has been rated 50th in the nation on private sector job growth. She called for lowering the income tax, eliminating the estate tax and increasing the child tax credit.

"If every paycheck you receive more money then the more (will be spent) and the more tax dollars will be generated and sent back to the state," Wagle said.